It’s Shawn’s party and she’ll invite who she wants to, invite who she wants to. On evening one of her winter residency on Varrick Street, Steve Earle sat in. On night two, Mary Chapin Carpenter stopped by. Night three, the night I attended, Jackson Browne. But I got an extra surprise: Judy Collins joined for a sing-along on “Take It Easy,” the encore.

Kicking off with a wobbly go at the Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” Colvin and Browne instantly fell into a jovial, comradely vibe, trading off stories and deprecations like an old married couple. They slipped intimately into originals—”Barricades of Heaven” (with Colvin bringing an ethereal harmony to this Browne milestone), “The Facts About Jimmy,” “If I Were Brave,” “I’ll Do Anything,” “Something Fine”—and performed some memorable covers as well, including Warren Zevon’s “Mohammed’s Radio.” Colvin’s show-stopping takes on Springsteen’s “Tougher Than The Rest” and Tom Waits’ “Ol’ 55” were worth the admission price and a glass or two of wine alone.

– Mike Jurkovic

Photos by Jim Belmont

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